This is the first of a series of five or six very beautiful and informative documentaries about Earth's and humankind's natural history. If you click on the link above to find the video removed or otherwise unavailable, do a search for "miracle planet violent past" and you'll find it easily enough. If you learned evolutionary history in High School or college and thought it was boring, or simply weren't enthralled by it, this documentary is for you. This first one focuses on the Earth, itself, and shows how life could easily survive, even supposing a meteorite evaporated all the water upon Earth's surface.
Since I believe in being fair, here is a link to Ben Stein's movie, "Expelled," which essentially suggests that evolution-based thinking is fascism and Margaret Sanger was practicing eugenics when she founded Planned Parenthood. Always nice to know what the other side is being fed with, yes?
Progress update: Nothing transcribed yet, so no progress. Also, my S.O. and I are leaving for several days to visit family for Christmas, so there will either be an early progress report next week, or no report until the following week. I do plan, however, to bring a physical copy to read and annotate, so the transcription (or a sizable portion of it) might be done by Tuesday.
I hope you all enjoy your holidays.
12/19/08 - Next installment finished!
The next installment for Sakuya starts from here, where "Joker" left off.
Also, I noticed that, for all this time, I haven't updated the navigation page for the Sakuya route. I'm really sorry about that.
Anyway, it's off to the next one. Remember I was saying that I would retool my updates a bit? In an effort to keep up morale? My plan for the upcoming progress updates will be to check in every Saturday, list the amount of pages I have yet to translate, and post a link to an article or youtube documentary that I think is meaningful. I also might intersperse said links with info about yuri, gaming, etc. So, look forward to it, let me know what you think of it, and hold me to it!
Hope you enjoy the story, and happy holidays!
12/04/08 - Editing done
That is all. I will begin coding tomorrow.
12/02/08 - I'm still alive...
I will spare you all the apologetic tirade, even though its on the tips of my fingers, right now. All I will say is that you saw me drop into terra incognita (sp?), and now four months have passed without an update to Sakuya's route. I'm really sorry.
Anyway, though it may have appeared otherwise, I did not forget the translation during that time and was, in fact, working on it... very slowly. I finished the translation just in time (not an hour too soon) for our Thanksgiving travels, with the intent of editing/coding it on my S.O.'s laptop during that time. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out.
Suffice to say, all that remains to finish this next update is editing and coding. Both of these tasks are massive, but require very little creativity, which is why you can expect to see Sakuya's second day completed and posted soon. After that, I'm going to retool my methodology a little bit, and see if that doesn't help with the rest.
09/23/08 - Returned from the Underwhere...
Hello, you all. Unfortunately, my creativity was misdirected into another project for a while. I don't remember it taking me quite THIS long, though. My theory is that subjecting oneself to a soul-draining job that is an affront to most fibers of one's moral being will be oft to cause their time perception to slow as a result...
...Senility? You didn't honestly think it was just an age thing that accosted you in your twenties, did you? I personally lean toward the Defense Mechanism Postulate (TM).
...I'm sorry. Please wait a little longer. 14 pages remain in the scene.
09/07/08 - Just a little bit further
I forgot to change the "last update" date on the site last time (Ugh!). Hope that didn't belay any of you.
I was hoping to finish Sakuya's day 2 this weekend, but I'm a little short. There is one scene remaining, and though it's rather long, hopefully it will only take me another few days, after which I can start coding. So, that's the update for this week!
08/18/08 - Upcoming changes
Those of you who found this site via google or some other search engine are likely to know about a beautiful site upgrade that's in the works! That was actually meant to be a birthday surprise to me from the webmaster, but I caught wind of her plan ahead of time. ^^;
This means that all those people who were begging for the text to be set more legibly against the background will get their wish. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be splitting my efforts between coding the translation files for the new site format (this involves some line-by-line changes ~_~) and finishing Sakuya's route. Make sure to bookmark the new site!
Also, I've made an edit in Yumei's route (discovered by one of our readers) that broke a link for some browsers (located in "Nie no Chi"). Sorry about that. I hope that didn't put any of you at a standstill in her storyline. And lastly, I've edited several glossary entries in the latest addition to the storyline in Sakuya's route. Rudimentary as anything, but that's a few less edits that I'll neglect in the future.
So, the translation continues. Keep an eye out for the new site and the next installment!
08/07/08 - There is a post!
I knew it was high time that something had to go up, here. I wanted to have this done last week, but nowadays I'm about to nod off on my keyboard around 11:30.
This is slow. Extremely slow. I understand that all too well... The update isn't even fully finished.
I've coded enough, however, to post the story up until a good stopping point. For Sakuya's route, you will want to go back to "Food is the Heart of the Art of War". There are two choices at the bottom that will put you on Sakuya's route.
I hope you enjoy it, and that the next update isn't far off.
07/21/08 - Another status update
I imagine by now there is a trend you're noticing that coincides with the end of each character's route. To be needlessly honest, it makes me feel like I've earned a break, and the break gets the best of me...
Seeing as Sakuya is the last character, I suppose that trend is now about 100% accurate. No matter what the circumstances, there is no excuse for this latest delay. For those of you who are still reading, I'm really sorry.
Just bear in mind that, while Sakuya isn't my favorite character, I like her a lot, which is why I saved her for last. I will unquestionably finish this route eventually, so please do not succumb to despair and think otherwise! With a little luck and effort, the translation should be done by the end of this week.
06/23/08 - Status Update
What is Zohar's excuse this time? Zohar has no weekends! No weekends means no progress.
Well, Aoi Shiro had some part in that too, though I speed-read through that as quickly as I was able. I'll spare you the agony of reading a review to a game you can't play, but allow me to say one thing, at least:
Yasumi is the Hermione of the Fumotogawa-verse! (Fumotogawa-sensei is the scenario writer, in case you've forgotten.) I wasn't expecting much from her route after reading the web novel, but it turns out that she's full of surprises later in the game.
Actually, make that a few things:
If the red bull from The Last Unicorn haunted your dreams as a child, this game could keep you awake at night. In other words, it is far better at instilling the creep factor than Akai Ito.
So that's the end of that for the time being. As always, Akai Ito's translation suffers from a mixture of circumstance and procrastination, but I will finish it, sure enough. Allow me to extend my apologies to the readers (it seems almost as if there's one for every update now) who seem to think that I've dropped the translation entirely. ~_~
Seemingly in exchange for all my weekends this month, I've been given the first week of July. I want to say that it'll be ready before that week is over, but my linguistic spigot has been bone dry lately. I haven't used a single creative metaphor in this news update, for one. Let's just assume that I'm saving them up... At the very least, I aim to get a lot of work done.
And finally, for those who are trying to secure a copy of the limited edition Aoi Shiro, it is probably too late to refer you to this site, but they DO say that they're restocking, not that they're out of print. I wouldn't know how true that is, but if it's important to you to have the limited edition, you might want to keep a lookout here. (It turns out the limited edition package wasn't full of smutty pencil cards and pillows, as I'd expected, but actually came with two drama CDs and an art book! I haven't listened to the drama CDs yet, but the art book is very nice!)
05/22/08 - Minor edits
I've made edits to several grammar mistakes that I (and a few helpful readers ^_^) found a while ago. That ties up one of the loose ends in maintaining this site (leaving several major ones, such as a page detailing how to import, Uzuki and Yumei glossary entries... hmm...), and while it was a small loose end, I really appreciate the people who helped me find the errors.
Oh, and by the way, Aoi Shiro is out, now. It only took one day before all the limited editions were sold out on Play Asia! O_O I wonder how many they were carrying. Maybe this will make them wish they carried a little more... Oh, and by the way, my bank was being stupid, so I couldn't get it. There is another source where I managed to place an order (www.yesasia.com), but they aren't listing it anymore. Most of the extra stuff that comes with it is just smut, but I think there is a drama CD. Hopefully I'll get a copy, then maybe I'll be able to translate that at some point. (I was never able to get a copy of the Akai Ito drama CD, by the way.)
Anyway, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that Play Asia or Yes Asia might restock, so you might want to check back with them every now and again if you missed finding a copy of your own. Unlike in the US, limited editions sell out extremely quickly in Japan, so I wouldn't get my hopes up, but...
This seems like it could be a good opportunity, however, to show Success the lengths of Aoi Shiro fandom overseas! ...Right? Well, I suppose one shouldn't be presumptuous, and I don't know exactly how many limited edition copies were alotted to the online import stores, but if you know the name of a trustworthy retailer that has copies for sale, let me know so I can inform your fellow readers! (Though be sure to secure a copy for your own, should you desire one.) You also might want to post links to such retailers on the shoujoai forums, etc. Anyway, let's give those copies a home!
......Oh, right. Come to think of it, $100 must seem like a lot to pay for a choose-your-own-adventure novel that you can't read, mustn't it? Although you have at least one route that's already online and translated (the web novel, in other words), although it doesn't lead to a true ending... Just so you know, you can rest assured that if some other capable person doesn't step forward to translate Aoi Shiro... once I've finished translating Akai Ito... and once I've had a chance to enjoy its sequel... I will offer my services.
You'd best understand, however, that Aoi Shiro seems to have a level of diction and cultural references a step above Akai Ito (albeit just by a superficial glance, thus far), and one character actually speaks in this archaic tongue that I haven't been able to make much sense of... yet... I'm about to get a lot of practice, though... The point being, if you want me to translate the game, you'd best let me know how badly you want it... ^^;
05/21/08 - The Navigation pages are updated!
You can now use the Nav page for the newly added character. Also, to those of you who own the game, a notice:
No doubt, by now, you have experienced some confusion with locked routes and other little eccentricities in this game. One of these is a scene in Yumei's route, called "Jouhari Mirror - F". One of the branches in this scene was locked. Thanks to a certain reader for pointing this out, I have updated the route-branch information. You can look there for instructions regarding how to unlock the route.
I plan to make lots of edits similar to this one in the future, because goodness knows, I've missed a lot here. For all I know, you might not be able to finish Uzuki's route without dying in Yumei's route first, etc. -_-
If you notice something I haven't, please let me know. You should be able to tell when you've unlocked a route. (You'll see a picture of a mirror pasted with paper talismans, "sealed," to be exact, then a flash, an animated picture of the character whose route contains the scene you've unlocked, and a message containing the scene name.
If you feel up to it, and if the game allows, please try to make a note of what actions unlocked what, and let me know. (You'll have to match the Japanese to the Japanese scene names, though.) If you find an automatic branch where you went in a direction that doesn't match my instructions in the route-branch information, please let me know. I'm really too busy translating to play through the routes with new system data to find these right now. (By the way, to use new system data, you either need to erase the Akai Ito system data from your memory card or use a new memory card. System data is different from save data, but I think it's all consolidated into one file in the memory card browser. If you delete that, you delete it all, so I would recommend you use another card, if you can. -_-) If you do this and e-mail me what you find, that would be a big help.
By the way, the Japanese has been transcribed for the next update. Sakuya's route is long, and apparently has many, many informative scenes, with lots of glossary entries. Perhaps more than any other route.
So, yeah... I should have this next update done by... tomorrow! Well, not quite... you get the drill.
Also, there's a broken link to a glossary entry in the new character's route. That should be fixed now.
05/12/08 - The route is open
Prepare to meet the most adorable sadist ever. This update involves a change in the structure of the scene, "Crimson Admonition," so I'm routing you there to begin. This will be going up Monday evening, but I wrote it Sunday. Gagh... I'm too tired to tell you any more than that. Hopefully I didn't mess up the grammar too badly when I was coding. My fingers didn't seem intent on minding my instructions.
05/10/08 - Wherefore doth I delay thee? Let me count the wayz...
There are numerous reasons. Chiefly among them:
One... I work for a Japanese company, now. One thing you have to know about Japanese companies is that people work overtime... without being asked. "Huh? You have nothing to do? Think of something!" ...No, it's not so extreme. I speak in hyperbole--- but coming home at 8:00 with nothing in my stomach doesn't help nurture my creative energy.
Just about the only time I have for translating is weekends. Two weeks ago, we had to move lots of heavy furniture over 500 miles, largely on our own. (I translated several pages on the flight down--- that I subsequently left at our old residence. Urgh!) As for last weekend...... my S.O. received GTA4 in the mail. ^^;; (It took me a few days to wean off it, but I'm fine, now.)
At any rate, a fine mixture of mishap and misappropriation has mired us in a malignant morass of mallard maladies. (Do ignore that abcess of alliteration. I do not have the Avian Flu, though I did get sick once, and almost twice, for the move... please excuse my nonsense. I am in a state of somnolence.)
Right, so... if you haven't stopped reading yet, I want to say "thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" to the people who e-mailed me and wrote in the guest book. It's great to hear that you enjoy my writing, despite all the liberties I take with the English language.
Ours is a very patient and kind readership, so much so that it makes me all the more guilty for keeping you waiting. Even as Aoi Shiro appears in my mailbox, I imagine I will still be trucking on with Sakuya's route. (I haven't even read all of the demo, yet.) I'm going to get you-probably-know-who's route done over the weekend, and make a few critical edits (no Japanese text for one of the choices. I seriously don't know how I keep churning out errors like tha--- ah, right, sleep deprivation.) Just know that it probably won't go up until late Monday or so. You may have noticed that the updates of late are very sporadic. That's because we're on a Macintosh OS server. By the time summer classes end, this is probably going to change, so do keep a lookout for when it happens.
03/27/08 - Come and save me~
I have mixed feelings about what I just read a moment ago... In other words, Aoi Shiro is being delayed until the 15th of May! Usshabwaba! >_< >:- @#$@$
This makes me feel anxious for reasons that should be obvious. I want to be able to enjoy the game before the economy of the nation I'm living in collapses under the burden of its debt, bringing lots of others down with it.
This also makes me feel relieved for less than obvious reasons: I might be able to get Sakuya's route (and thus, the game) finished translating before then.
...... >_< Hey! Don't give me that look. It's within physical possibility.... *remembers a certain collection of scenes with characters talking in archaic Japanese* ......well, sorta possible.
Anyway, focusing on the now is the best way to go about that. So, in that spirit, allow me to happily inform you that one, Tsudzura's route is mapped in the Navigation page and two, I've transcribed all of the yet-unmentioned fourth character's route. Of course, such good news has a downside: it's a short route. She only has two lone squares of the divergence map to herself, whereas most others have six.
I like this route (and Sakuya's) rather much, which is why I saved them for last. There's a chance that this can lead to some very speedy translating (cross your fingers...), though the voice in most of this fourth route is very different from the rest of the game. Because I like it, I want to make sure I get the voice right, which could lead to stalling (pray...).
03/25/08 - The halo grows away...?
Please excuse the hurried post below. Rushing Zohar is like loosening a person's lips with alcoholic beverages. Coherence becomes tertiary.
03/22/08 - The word unwinds inside of me~
Albeit much belated, the final installment of Tsudzura's route is up!
I hope you enjoy it. There were parts of it that I enjoyed, but I'm glad its over, personally. I happened to enjoy it very much! However tame it may be, it still has some kind of lolifuriyuri aftertaste, doesn't it? I predicted that I would have trouble finishing it, due to a general distaste for the route, which is why I knew I have to which is why knew I couldn't save it for last! o_O
The link to the first scene of the last installment is here.
I'm going to get started on the next one without further ado! I think we'll all like what's coming!
03/13/08
A catastrophic mistake has been brought to my attention.
Not one, not two, but SEVERAL scene translations with selectable choices had the English and Japanese mixed up. This is almost impossible for one to catch unless they read the translation to the game, or know Japanese... >_<;;
And if you were playing the game and didn't notice this awful oversight, then I obviously steered you wrong, and left you very confused. I'm really sorry! The first mistake occurs in the scene, "Time lag?" then "Shadow of the Snake God," then "Ryougetsu," and finally, "Flowers Blooming in the Summer Night."
And to that anonymous person who pointed this out, thank you very, very much!
As for the translation, I'm going at a pace where I could finish it in another two days. Cross your fingers that I might keep that pace going.
And finally, I have happy news! Someone who seems to have a lot more drive and expedience of writing than myself is writing a translation of the Aoi Shiro web novel. Go check it out!
I suppose this means the Aoi Shiro translation will be out of my hands, then. That's probably good news for you all. ^^;;
02/29/08 11:02 - Edits
I've made a few, much needed edits just now, particularly, fixing Tsudzura's nav page. I also fixed some links to the glossary.
Hopefully everything works mostly fine, now. I wanted to make them earlier, but I had connection/access issues. ~_~ There are more edits to be made, but they can wait until after I've moved.
02/27/08 05:00 - Oops
Wow. Those horizontal lines are horrid. I'll get around to them, but... later. Please deal with them for now.
Maybe tomorrow you'll be able to see some more venerable vectors.
02/27/08 04:45 - Ayve finnissshed eeeet o_O
The installment, the nav links, the glossary, everything is up. One more installment before Tsudzura-chan's route is finished.
Hopefully, it won't be taking too long, but I'm fairly well Shintoed out. I probably won't start working on it until after I've moved.
Here is a link to the first scene of the next installment. Enjoy!
02/26/08 23:05 - Progress
I resumed the editing at 8:30 this morning, and began coding around 2:30. I've been doing this all day.
............
I'm still not finished. I'm going to do my best to get everything posted before I go to sleep, but yet again, you will not see the next installment "until tomorrow."
Just hope with me that it will be sometime in the AM? Until then. ^_^
02/25/08 22:58 - Inhale... *crack!* Hale!
I've finished the translation. Unfortunately, I only finished it at 10:30, and have yet to do the editing and coding.
I counted the pages after I finished. As it appears in the word processor, it numbers more than a hundred pages... I think there were about seventy pages of solid Japanese before I started, so maybe you'll find it in your heart to forgive me? ^^;
Anyway, I'm sure you'll prefer my continued work over passages of sleep deprivation-addled neurotic apology. I'm not sure how long it will take to edit over a hundred pages of translation, but I made an effort to write it right the first time around. Wish me luck? And expect it tomorrow.
02/24/08 11:13 - Ugh......
Try tomorrow...
02/23/08 00:53 - Hail Mary, Mother of Grace
Me: Forgive me father, for I have sinned. It has been......
Me: ......
Me: ...Twelve years since my last confession.
Le pére pauvre: ...Twelve years?
Me: Yep. You see, lately I've been translating this Japanese lesbian adventure game...
Le pére pauvre: Le---!? Um, and you wish to repent for your actions?
Me: Yeah. OH, GOD! I'M SO SORRY I CAN'T UPDATE IT ON TIME! *bawls*
Le pére pauvre: ............
Me: I'll do better, I promise! Just give me those Hail Marys or whatever. I'll get right back to it! How many does that make, anyway? TELL ME! I HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK!
............I'm also sorry for spending time writing apologetic narratives when I should be translating instead. Long story short, God gave Persona 3 an e-cookie, for diverting me from my heathen ways. I am also moving to another state, but enough excuses!
If it provides any consolation, know that Fumotogawa-sensei has posted the fourteenth chapter of the Aoi Shiro web novel, and reading that is the one thing I most want to do right now. BUT I'M NOT GONNA! I will just think of it as the carrot being dangled in front of my face until at least one of the two Tsudzura - Night 3 sections is up for your enjoyment. I want to say it'll be up today, Saturday, at midnight, EST. That's rather optimistic, though not impossible. Check back at midnight. If it's not there, then check back on Sunday evening.
And don't worry. Unlike the section I'm translating right now, the final conclusion won't have twenty glossary entries for me to research.
02/16/08 10:20 - >_<
Excusese: I had to do numerous preparations for driving thousands of miles and then drive them.
Translation: Tsudzura's finale will be a few days, yet. I was hoping I could at least post this news update at the hotel, but apparently its "high-speed internets" weren't as reliable as advertised. To all of those who were checking this site rapidly for the next installment over the past few days, I'm really sorry.
02/10/08 00:00 - Ophidiophobia
How are you enjoying your new command over those egregious Shintou creation myths?
...Oh, really? Ha! I knew you would.
The transcription for the rest of Tsudzura's route is done, and daunting. On the flow chart, it might look like one sixth of the total, but the text itself comprises at least a fourth of her total route. This makes it hard to feel optimistic about its timely completion, but worry not. I should have something to post by Friday, at least.
One of the things I've been doing in my break time is reading the Aoi Shiro web novel. For those of you who liked Akai Ito, you should know that the development team is really outdoing itself in the sequel. I just might be possessed of the desire to translate that, as well.
...Iya, before you get your hopes up, know that you're unlikely to see any such translation until sometime in Summer. It comes out on April 24, and naturally, I want to be afforded some time to enjoy it, first. ^_^;
02/02/08 03:57 - Next installment ready
I'm sorry about the tardiness. Hopefully the surprises in store will make up for it. As you will see, a horrid amount of research was involved.
Those continuing from Tsudzura's last installment will be starting here.
There is one last installment remaining for this character... or two. Thus far it looks like a vast amount of material. Even should it be divided into two segments, rest assured that they will most likely occur very close to each other.
02/01/08 8:30 - A day late...
A dollar short?
Well, you just wait. When you see the amount of work I've done, it'll blow your mind. Most likely, it will go up this evening or early Saturday.
1/24/08 11:57 - Next update
It has been about a week, so just to allay any concerns you might have, I seem to be on schedule for meeting my resolution. It may even be early, which will be quite miraculous, seeing as there is a tremendous amount of cultural information to research and translate...
As part of that, I plan to be expanding the "Cultural" section of the Game Info page... or rather, making a page with actual info where there was none before. I hope very much that you look forward to learning far more information than the average foreigner would know about Japanese divine myth and legends.
Now, all there is left to tell you is that the Aoi Shiro opening movie linked below was privated by youtube for a while. However, it has been fixed, so if you haven't already, take a gander!
1/18/08 01:40 - Navigation page updated
Also, if by any chance you were one of the unlucky few who had an "Access Prohibited" error, that is now fixed, and you need only refresh your browser to use the broken links.
1/17/08 11:36 - New Year's Resolution:
To return to a two week installment schedule, even if it kills me! >_<
You could say I'm halfway there, at least, right? (Well, perhaps not if you count the two-and-a-half-month hiatus, however inevitable it was.) Anyway, the next installment is up for you to enjoy!
You may recall that the last installment ended in three branches. If you chose to wait for Tsudzura inside the mansion, go here. If you couldn't resist the hunger and left for the town to get food, go here. And finally, if you chose to go searching for Tsudzura, go here. These links should lead you to the continuation of your respective branches. Note first that if you stayed in the mansion, the text you read may look familiar. That is because the scene was extraordinarily long and actually continued into the evening segment. If you scroll down, you should find it easily. The new text will be separated by a line.
If you are confused as to which route you took, or just want to find your way back through again, go here.
1/14/08 2:30 - It's on its way
I've overlooked some glaring errors on this site for a long time, namely, several "What's new" links that display updates only as far as September. (Yikes!) I really hope that didn't throw anyone off to any significant degree. (Though if it did, the faith of any such aggrieved personage would likely be too far gone for them to read this.)
So, yes, I am fixing that problem now, and giving thanks to the intrepid reader who pointed it out. I am also fixing the news page to make it more user-friendly... or rather, producer-friendly. Having a link for every month is far too much work when there are really only two updates each (not that I intend to make a habit of that, mind you).
As for Tsudzura's route, I have finished the transcription and a sizeable portion of the translation. This installment is slightly longer than most, with three partitions representing it on the divergence map (I guess the proper term is "flow chart"?). Expect it to come decently soon, though.
My thanks go out again to those who have sent me e-mail, signed the guestbook, and of course, the readers of the translation in general. Seeing your gallant perseverance in the face of ardent pessimism, I can't help but think you deserve a reward...
Or two...
Yeah, someone subbed the Akai Ito opening!
And that's it for this week. I hope you all will hear from me again before another week has gone by. Keep a lookout.